discussion New auto project

[Guest]

Well I've just gone and bought myself a car that I've been umming and arring about for about 10 years. I got it with tax till end of year and 11 months mot with a few advisories.

Its a Saab 9-5 3ltr turbo griffin... The flagship of the range when it was introduced.

Mine is a 1999 and externally in exceptional condition for the year with just some surface scratches and minute chips that will polish up/out reasonable easily.

Just done the discs and pads so I've got stopping power, the front exhaust has a blow and my local garage has managed to source a reasonably priced OEM part for it, still just over 300 quid though.

Got a little hum from a wheel bearing that needs addressing soon and that's it for the immediate mechanicals.

The inside is lovely, all that Ive checked seems to work as it should, the digital information display had some dead lines of pixels but I've got experience in electronics so had it to bits and fixed it temporarily, will get a new ribbon for it in the near future and that will do it 100% hopefully.

It has a CD/radio/cassette head unit with a 6 CD changer in the boot, the sound system is an amplified 11 speaker 200 watt Harman kardon jobbie that sounds the business.

Air conditioned climate control with heated/air conditioned ventilated seats makes the cockpit a nice place to be, leather everywhere, wood bits stuck here and there ..... Nice extras on a 14 year old brum brum.

Even though its got the exhaust blow I'll be taking it for a run down to England to pick my lad and his girlfriend up for a few days, hope it feels up to the 600 mile round trip ... if you see or hear a crying bloke sitting near a red Saab on the motorway that'll be me

Should be a nice project to dabble in and get to 100% throughout the next year or so, got the mot so I should be able to take my time and make a good job of it

I'll post some piccies up if anyone's interested in the old darling.

Anyone else have car projects on the go?

 

[Guest]

The Saab is a nice car Colin, and sounds very good! Congrats!

I'm a person who love the cars...and drive is my first passion!

Actually I'm really happy with my two magnificent cars!

For business I'm always on the road, and every few years change my cars....is part of my life

I'm considering buying another Land Rover, all depends if I need a new one for the business and the actual situation, in my country are happend many things...let's see how all ends...

The next year the Landy will disappear as we 'know'...the new model is horrible... haven't personality

I could go fast!!!

 

[Ian M]

A nice set of wheels. Shame they went tits up.

Come on then lets be seeing her.

Ian M

 

[Guest]

Colin I bought a SAAB 900 turbo convertible last year, mines quite old 1997 but all round its a nice car especially with the roof down, it went in for its mot and the only thing that was picked up was a track rod end, £45 incl parts to be replaced. My only real gripe with it is it has this all singing alarm and immobiliser and if you unlock it and leave it for a couple of mins you have to lock it and unlock it again or it wont start, but apart from that I like it.

I also have a 1999 BMW 735, I love this car it has everything and more, right from self dimming rear view mirror to tyre pressure warning lights to fully memorised electric seats complete with a butt massager.

I prefer older cars much more character

Paul

 

[colin m]

I've heard that people who drive Saab's have above average intelligence ! A quick note about the wheel bearing - it might not be what you think. I thought my Celica had a wheel bearing on the way out. As it happened it was time for new tyres, tyres fitted and all of a sudden, wheel bearing noise gone. The same thing happened with my X type. It must be something to do with modern cars and the huge size of the tyres they run these days.

 

[Guest]

Lovely Car, best car I have ever had was a Saab 99 auto, bought it with over 90000 on the clock and ran it for years. Never let me down once.

 

[Guest]

I've heard that people who drive Saab's have above average intelligence

Well ive had mine for about a year and im still thick ................perhaps its a gradual thing

 

[Guest]

I'm considering buying another Land Rover, all depends if I need a new one for the business and the actual situation, in my country are happend many things...let's see how all ends...

The next year the Landy will disappear as we 'know'...the new model is horrible... haven't personality

I could go fast!!!

Seems like Jaguar Land rover are putting all the effort into the new Range rover series ... dont know if thats a good thing?

Going fast?? how about a 4x4 sports car ? lots to chose from

 

[Guest]

Come on then lets be seeing her.

I'll grab some shots when the Scottish weather has had its say ..."wet and windy" is an understatement

 

[Guest]

Colin I bought a SAAB 900 turbo convertible last year,

I was looking at a 9-5 convertible ... absolutely immaculate, 12 years old, decided against it as i live in Scotland and it's not worth having a rag-top for the two days sunshine per year

A quick note about the wheel bearing - it might not be what you think

I've been on the Saab enthusiasts sites and they mention everything from bearings to front/rear tyre wear, even a bit of the disc cover rubbing on the rotor can do it .. if it survives the journey down south i'll have it in the garage and up on the ramps again

*edit* sussed a long laborious way of multi quoting which this forum software doesnt seem to have the function to do ... click on reply, adjust whatever you need, copy/cut all text in window, cancel window, open next reply and paste the lot where you want it.

ps, if there is a muli-quote function .. it doesnt appear on chrome

 

[Ian M]

I was looking at a 9-5 convertible ... absolutely immaculate, 12 years old, decided against it as i live in Scotland and it's not worth having a rag-top for the two days sunshine per yearI've been on the Saab enthusiasts sites and they mention everything from bearings to front/rear tyre wear, even a bit of the disc cover rubbing on the rotor can do it .. if it survives the journey down south i'll have it in the garage and up on the ramps again

*edit* sussed a long laborious way of multi quoting which this forum software doesnt seem to have the function to do ... click on reply, adjust whatever you need, copy/cut all text in window, cancel window, open next reply and paste the lot where you want it.

ps, if there is a muli-quote function .. it doesnt appear on chrome

Precipitating down here as well!!!

Funny thing I read that Denmark it the European country that has the highest sale of rag tops per capita !!! Then I look out the window and wonder why.

I have had a look to see if there is an option for multi quots in the admin tool box... I can't find it but maybe John knows where it is if it's there.

Ian M

 

[Guest]

I have had a look to see if there is an option for multi quots in the admin tool box... I can't find it but maybe John knows where it is if it's there.

Ian M

Thanks for having a look around mate, I'm OK with cutting and pasting here and there, just thought my little step by step could help the less geeky of us.

 

[Guest]

Seems like Jaguar Land rover are putting all the effort into the new Range rover series ... dont know if thats a good thing?Going fast?? how about a 4x4 sports car ? lots to chose from

I prefer the classic one

Is perfect for my business and the place where I live.

Time ago, I look for a classic one in England, but the spanish administration is a several problem

 

[Guest]

Come on then lets be seeing her.

Ian M

Took a while, been busy with visiting children....

This is after 1200 motorway miles this week.

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[Ian M]

Looks good Colin. Good to drive?

Ian M

 

[Andy2035]

Hi Colin,

She looks a real beaut, I do like the Saab, driven a couple over the years and found them very comfortable and easy to drive...

How is it on fuel...

Andy...

 

[Guest]

Ian, she drives really well... Actually holds the road better than the little MX3 sports car we had, she's very nippy and manouverable for such a big car.

Comfort is well up with cars only a few years old.

Did 1200 miles in four trips up and down the motorway, very smooth, the last 130 miles on the return journey after dropping the kids off was through the twisty turny B roads over the borders and she never put a foot wrong even when I pushed hard in some ''camera-less'' areas

Andy ... She returned an average of 33 to the gallon ... And that's a mixture of motorway, town and country roads where i let her rip a bit.

 

[Andy2035]

Hi Colin,

33mpg is really good for a 3ltr turbo, when your right foot starts to get a little heavy and the turbo kicks in does she give you that whoosh feeling, I remember having a clutch ion an original Saab 900 turbo, it really let you know when the turbo kicked in...

When I was in Germany I had an Audi 80 Coupe Quattro, it was one of the earlier versions, Audi hadn't managed to sort the lag on the turbo, so you had a huge amount of nothing and then whoosh it kicked in and you where off like a scolded cat on a hot tin roof...

Does she need any work doing...

Andy...

 

[Guest]

Yeah 33 isn't too bad at all, I was quite surprised to be honest, most of the time I had her at 70 ish on cruise control.

Audi quattro eh, they were really nice, again I like the older versions as they seemed to have a nicer shape and general look, and I know from experience about cars with turbo lag, they just seem to hang for a few seconds and then take off at warp speed.

This one has a nice smooth turbo with no lag to mention, its run from the front three cylinders providing the extra thrutch for all six when you clog it.

Just had discs and pads done, shes hopefully going in for front wheel bearings this week, then I know that the running gear is all OK.

Next will be a front section for the exhaust as it has a bit of a blow to it though a small crack in the ''y'' join. Still serviceable but sounds a little meaty when you pull off.

After that I'll be just getting on with the cosmetic side, filling the odd few stone chips and filling/polishing out some minor scratches.